As sound-bite politicians and Department of Veterans Affairs (“the VA”) administrators (past and present) slug it out over the future direction of the VA, Maj. Ben Richards has put together a comprehensive 8-week program to treat 10 fellow Veteran warriors who suffer from PTSD and TBI.

In his own words, Maj. Ben Richards describes his experiences with the VA and explains that there is hope for Veterans and their caregivers who suffer from terrible brain injury. Sadly, this non-invasive therapy is not available at the VA and won’t be anytime soon.

Found below are some of the non-invasive therapies that these Veterans in the Treatment of Ten will receive over an eight week period at an HBOT facility in Idaho.

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy or HBOT
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) is a medical treatment which enhances the body’s natural healing process by inhalation of 100% oxygen in a total body chamber, where atmospheric pressure is increased and controlled. According to Harch Hyperbarics, “oxygen is transported throughout the body only by red blood cells.

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation
Transcranial magnetic stimulation is a method in which a changing magnetic field is used to cause electric current to flow in a small region of the brain via electromagnetic induction. iTMS employs a safe, painless, and non-invasive brain stimulation technology to generate a series of magnetic pulses that influence electrical activity in targeted areas of the individual’s brain.

High Performance Neurofeedback
High Performance Neurofeedback or EEG Neurofeedback is a noninvasive procedure that involves monitoring and analyzing EEG signals read through surface sensors on the scalp, and uses the EEG itself to guide the feedback.

Low Level Light Therapy
LLLT (aka as PBM or Photobio Modulation) uses “red or near-infrared light to stimulate, heal, regenerate, and protect tissue that has either been injured, is degenerating, or else is at risk of dying.”

Cranial Electrical Stimulation
CES uses waveforms to gently stimulate the brain to produce serotonin and other neurochemicals responsible for healthy mood and sleep. Proven safe and effective in multiple published studies, the device is cleared by the FDA to treat depression, anxiety and insomnia.

Maj. Richards plans to use these results to develop a template for other communities and medical facilities to adopt the same procedures in helping Veterans cope with debilitating brain injury.

Your support is needed to help with fund this initial program. Unlike many other Veteran support programs,100% of ALL contributions go to support the TREATMENT OF TEN. If you want to truly support Veterans, please make a contribution now by CLICKING THIS LINK.

Dr. David Shulkin has been pushed aside (read fired) as the Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs (“the VA”). Without taking sides in what appears to be yet another partisan issue, Dr. Shulkin did a reasonably good job in bailing water in a sinking ship: the VA.

As such, it was with regret that we read Dr. David Shulkin’s self-serving departure editorial in the New York Times “it should not be this hard to serve your country.” Indeed, many Veterans poorly served by the VA have felt the same. But these Veterans, with a legitimate claim were rarely afforded space in the editorial section of the New York Times to discuss their grievances.

The title of the New York’s editorial says it all: “David J. Shulkin: Privatizing the V.A. Will Hurt Veterans“. I am not sure that Dr. Shulkin would have titled his departure editorial this way, but clearly, the New York Times, David Shulkin and J. David Fox, the President of the American Federation of Government Employees, agree that privatizing the VA will harm Veterans.

SFTT is unaware of any compelling evidence that providing “privatized” care to Veterans would jeopardize the mission of the VA or add to the difficulties of Veterans. Indeed, J. David Fox, seems more concerned about the rights of unionized VA employees than he does about Veterans.

While it is easier to frame the discussion as a debate about the merits of public or private healthcare, SFTT has long argued that the VA is simply Too Big to Succeed. It never has been a question of “ownership” or “control,” it is simply a case of an institution that has become too large to manage effectively. With over 18 million Veterans, it is unlikely that an overwhelming majority would agree that the VA is provides services that are “second to none.”

In fact, Dr. Shulkin claims that “the percent of veterans who have regained trust in V.A. services has risen to 70 percent, from 46 percent four years ago. This is not exactly a ringing endorsement on how well the VA is fulfilling its mission.

There are many areas of the VA that fulfill President Abraham Lincoln’s promise: “To care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow, and his orphan” by serving and honoring the men and women who are America’s Veterans.

But there are other areas in which the VA fell well short of fulfilling President Lincoln’s promise.

Specifically, SFTT has for years called into question the way the VA has treated Veterans with PTSD and TBI: “the silent wounds of war.” There is compelling evidence that the VA, through its administrators, has consistently lied to Veterans, their caregivers, Congress and the public on the effectiveness of treating Veterans with brain injury.

Political posturing on the benefits of public or private ownership doesn’t really help the hundreds of thousands of Veterans suffering from brain injury and their largely forgotten caregivers.

Changing of the guard will do little to fix the VA. Only a true bipartisan effort to address the problems of the VA will help restore confidence in an institution with far greater promise than the actual results it delivers.

There is considerable anecdotal evidence that supervised exposure of Veterans with PTSD and TBI to horses helps restore a sense of well-being. Nevertheless, an adequate number of controlled clinical experiments are lacking to determine whether equine therapy has any lasting benefits for Veterans suffering from brain injury.

As reported earlier, Dr. Yuval Neria is Professor of Medical Psychology at the Columbia University Medical Center and “Scientific Advisor” to Stand for the Troops (“SFTT”) is leading a clinical study for the Man O’War Project in the hope of developing adding more scientific credibility to the notion that exposure to animals helps Veterans with brain injury.

While Equine therapy is not as widely known within the Veteran community as service dogs, it is yet another non-invasive process to help Veterans recover from the “silent wounds of war.”

What is Equine Therapy?

According to CRC Health, “Equine Therapy (also referred to as Horse Therapy, Equine-Assisted Therapy, and Equine-Assisted Psychotherapy) is a form of experiential therapy that involves interactions between patients and horses.

How Does Equine Therapy Work?

Equine Therapy involves activities (such as grooming, feeding, haltering and leading a horse) that are supervised by a mental health professional, often with the support of a horse professional.

CRC Health goes on describe the therapeutic aspects of Equine Therapy, both during the activity and after the patient has finished working with the horse, the equine therapist can observe and interact with the patient in order to identify behavior patterns and process thoughts and emotions.

The goal of equine therapy is to help the patient develop needed skills and attributes, such as accountability, responsibility, self-confidence, problem-solving skills, and self-control. Equine therapy also provides an innovative milieu in which the therapist and the patient can identify and address a range of emotional and behavioral challenges.

What is the VA’s Position on Equine Therapy?

While acknowledging that there may be some benefits from Equine Therapy, the VA currently does not endorse the programs claiming that there is insufficient “evidence” to support the benefits of the therapy.

How Much Does Equine Therapy Cost?

According to the National Center for Equine Facilitated Therapy (“NCEFT”) “the cost oftwice daily feeding, individual grooming and exercise, stall cleaning, specialized supplemental grain, and session staffing (horse handler and therapist), comes out to between $115 and $300 a session, depending on the type of therapy,

While there currently is a lack of scientific or clinical “evidence” that Equine-Assisted Therapy helps Veterans with PTSD and TBi, there are strong indications that the “bonding” and responsibility required to handle a horse promotes “wellness.” Whether this sense of well-being is sustainable outside of a controlled environment is yet to be determined.

Most every day there is a provocative news report suggesting that some “miracle drug” may help treat Veterans with PtSD and TBI. If it is not a new drug, cannabis or ecstacy are often cited as “new” drugs that can help Veterans cope with the debilitating symptoms of PTSD.

While many Veterans with brain injury and their caregivers hope that prescription medicine relief is on the way, the Department of Veterans Affairs (“the VA”) has a very poor track record in providing Veterans with the care that they deserve. More to the point, prominent spokespeople for the VA – like Dr. David Cifu – give misleading information when they claim that the VA provides the best available treatment programs for PTSD and TBI. This is simply not the case.

In fact, there are hundreds of stories documenting the frustration of Veterans with the staff of the VA. The suicide of Veteran Eric Bivins as told by his wife is just one of many horrific stories of how doctors at the VA callously treat Veterans.

When all else fails (as it normally does), the VA prescribed drugs – in many cases, opioids. Mind-altering drugs was to “go-to” choice for overworked VA medical personnel who still don’t know how to deal with, let alone treat brain injury.

While we all remain hopeful that drug relief is just around the corner, it seems likely that the new “miracle” drug will only deal with the symptoms of behavioral changes caused by PTSD and TBI. Veterans consulted by SFTT seek a permanent or semi-permanent solution that avoids invasive drugs. Found below are questions Veterans and their caregivers should consider when thinking about using “alternative” drugs.

What Veterans Should Know About “Alternative” Drugs

There is much “buzz” in social media channels and even authoritative medical websites on important new breakthroughs on “drugs” to help Veterans with with PTSD and TBI. Given the wide disparity in treating brain injury, it seems unlikely that marijuana, MDMA or others in clinical trial will provide a long term solution.

There is a vast difference between providing therapy that permits Veterans with PTSD and TBI to recover their lives than supplying prescription drugs which treats the symptoms. As the public has painfully learned from the opioid epidemic, prescription drugs that treat only the symptoms can have detrimental side-effects.

VA’s Research on Alternative Drugs

The VA continues to help fund initiatives to identify less addictive drugs that help Veterans cope with chronic pain, depression and anxiety. Clinical trials take several years to complete and there is a lengthy regulatory and review process to obtain FDA approval.

SFTT sincerely hopes that researchers and the medical profession will hopefully create a variety of new – and less addictive – drugs to treat Veterans with PTSD and TBI. Nevertheless, members of the medical profession must clearly distinguish between drugs that treat “symptoms” and those that may offer long term remission from brain injury. For reasons that are not entirely obvious, the VA does not make that distinction public. Sadly, the VA’s track record is not good in dispensing prescription drugs to Veterans with brain injury.

In an era of medical breakthroughs and diverse treatment options, it is most disappointing that the Department of Veterans Affairs (“the VA”) has so few treatment options for Veterans suffering from PTSD and TBI.

More to the point, the VA has gone out its way to suggest that non-VA approved alternative treatment therapies are little more than snake oil. Instead, compromised doctors like David Cifu vigorously defend the status quo at the VA which has shown to be remarkably out-of-touch with the complications in treating brain injury. Some, in fact, claim that the VA relied heavily on a lethal opioids to treat the symptoms of PTSD/TBI rather than the underlying causes.

Found below is a brief summary description of non-invasive treatments for brain-injury currently under review by SFTT. Some therapies have ample clinical trial evidence of success, but others still rely on anecdotal evidence. Based on SFTT’s experience, we believe that a combination of these therapies works best for the vast majority of Veterans suffering from brain injury.

Overview

Veterans with PTSD and TBI are limited to the number of therapy programs currently provided by the Department of Veterans (“the VA”). In some cases, the VA claims that alternative therapy programs are not “evidence-based,” while other “therapies” are currently being studied by the VA.

Found below is a list of some of the more popular “alternative” therapies for treating PTSD and TBI. Several are supported by strong clinical evidence, while others currently lack rigorous scientific backing. Each program has a brief description with a hyperlink to more detailed information, scientific backing and anecdotal evidence.

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy or HBOT

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) is a medical treatment which enhances the body’s natural healing process by inhalation of 100% oxygen in a total body chamber, where atmospheric pressure is increased and controlled. According to Harch Hyperbarics, “oxygen is transported throughout the body only by red blood cells.

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation

Transcranial magnetic stimulation is a method in which a changing magnetic field is used to cause electric current to flow in a small region of the brain via electromagnetic induction. iTMS employs a safe, painless, and non-invasive brain stimulation technology to generate a series of magnetic pulses that influence electrical activity in targeted areas of the individual’s brain.

High Performance Neurofeedback

High Performance Neurofeedback or EEG Neurofeedback is a noninvasive procedure that involves monitoring and analyzing EEG signals read through surface sensors on the scalp, and uses the EEG itself to guide the feedback.

Low Level Light Therapy

LLLT (aka as PBM or Photobio Modulation) uses “red or near-infrared light to stimulate, heal, regenerate, and protect tissue that has either been injured, is degenerating, or else is at risk of dying.”

Cranial Electrical Stimulation

CES uses waveforms to gently stimulate the brain to produce serotonin and other neurochemicals responsible for healthy mood and sleep. Proven safe and effective in multiple published studies, the device is cleared by the FDA to treat depression, anxiety and insomnia.

Equine Therapy

According to CRC Health, “Equine Therapy (also referred to as Horse Therapy, Equine-Assisted Therapy, and Equine-Assisted Psychotherapy is a form of experiential therapy that involves interactions between patients and horses.

Transcendental Meditation Technique

According to Wikipedia, the Transcendental Meditation technique is a specific form of silent mantra meditation developed by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. It is often referred to as Transcendental Meditation, or simply TM. The meditation practice involves the use of a mantra and is practiced for 15–20 minutes twice per day while sitting with one’s eyes closed.

Service Dogs

A companion service dog program appears to provide comfort and support to Veterans with the symptoms of PTSD, including depression, nightmares and social anxiety. Service dogs are trained to anticipate anxiety attacks and nightmares.

Biofeedback

Biofeedback is the process of gaining greater awareness of many physiological functions primarily using instruments that provide information on the activity of those same systems, with a goal of being able to manipulate them at will.Some of the processes that can be controlled include brainwaves, muscle tone, skin conductance, heart rate and pain perception.

Complementary Alternative Medicine

The Mayo Clinic defines “complementary and alternative medicine (“CAM”) as a popular term for health and wellness therapies that have typically not been part of conventional Western medicine. Complementary means treatments that are used along with conventional medicine. Alternative means treatments used in place of conventional medicine.

Emerging Drug Therapy

There is much “buzz” in social media channels and even authoritative medical websites on important new breakthroughs on “drugs” to help Veterans with with PTSD and TBI. Given the wide disparity in treating brain injury, it seems unlikely that marijuana, MDMA or others in clinical trial will provide a long term solution.

SFTT Overview

Most of the “alternative” therapies listed above are noninvasive. After years of supplying addictive and dangerous prescription to Veterans with brain injuries, SFTT strongly believes that there are more reliable and safer treatment alternatives of Veterans.

For some inexplicable reason, the Department of Veterans Affairs (“the VA”) has a “thing” about service dogs. Despite an overwhelming amount of evidence that service or companion dogs help Veterans, the VA insists on studying this issue still further. SFTT wishes the VA had taken the same level of precaution in prescribing OxyContin for Veterans with PTSD.

DoD photo by Erin A. Kirk-Cuomo (Released)

Service Dogs for Veterans with PTSD and/or TBI

A companion service dog program appears to provide comfort and support to Veterans with the symptoms of PTSD, including depression, nightmares and social anxiety. Service dogs are trained to anticipate anxiety attacks and nightmares.

How Does it Work?

After the dogs reach maturity – normally 6 months – they begin an intensive 5 month training program designed to familiarize the service dog with elements of supporting a human being. For instance, the dog has to learn to navigate elevators and escalators and to respond to potential danger signals which could cause panic in the dog’s human companion.

A well-trained service dog is not distracted by peripheral events like the presence of other dogs or animals and will avoid eating food that has been dropped on the floor.

After the service dog has successfully completed his training, the certified service dog is then introduced to his/her human companion. In general, Veterans will spend seven weeks in intensive – about 4 hours of training a day (generally in the morning) and a few weekend sessions.

How Much Does a Service Dog Cost?

While many Veterans obtain a service dog free thanks to the generous contributions of others, a properly trained service dog costs approximately $10,000. To that cost must be added the opportunity cost of training with the service dog as well as upkeep and veterinary bills.

The VA claims that “there is not enough research yet to know if dogs actually help treat PTSD and its symptoms.” An independent study is being conducted to determine the benefit of service dogs, but the results of this study are several years off.

In typical cavalier fashion, drug giant Purdue Pharma has decided to curtail the sale of OxyContin that has brought misery and death to tens of thousands addicted to opioids.

Why it has taken so long for this scandal to end – particularly to families who have lost loved ones – is difficult to fathom. Perhaps, the allure of bonuses for licensed drug peddlers or the irresistible pull of a higher stock price blinded this company from the inescapable evidence that it was hooking Americans on lethal drugs.

Needless to say, State and local governments are mounting huge suits against the predatory marketing practices of Purdue. No doubt, local governments will win major financial judgements against Purdue Pharma, but will there be any assets left after Purdue Pharma files for bankruptcy? More importantly, how can you possibly place a value on the thousands of lives that have been destroyed by this toxic drug company that has done more damage to our society than all of the Colombian drug lords combined?

More importantly, PURDUE PHARMA DID IT WITH THE FULL SUPPORT AND KNOWLEDGE OF THE US GOVERNMENT.

SFTT has been reporting on this shameful tragedy for well over five years. We documented how Veterans received these powerful narcotics from the Department of Veterans Affairs (“the VA”) and flushed them down the toilet or crushed them into powder to sell them on the black market.

While non-invasive treatment for PTSD and TBI like hyperbaric oxygen therapy are rigorously dismissed by the VA in favor of new drugs, Veterans are unlikely to find that their lives are restored to any semblance of what it was in the past.

It is hard to believe that Purdue Pharma has been aggressively peddling their toxic drugs in our backyard (Stamford), but it would appear that our healthcare system is rigged to encourage more abuses

Of all the current “alternative” therapies reviewed by Stand For The Troops (“SFTT”), hyperbaric oxygen therapy or HBOT is clearly supported by evidence-based clinical trials and an abundance of evidence (both scientific and anecdotal) that it help reverse brain trauma.

What is Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (“HBOT”)?Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) is a medical treatment which enhances the body’s natural healing process by inhalation of 100% oxygen in a total body chamber, where atmospheric pressure is increased and controlled. According to Harch Hyperbarics, “oxygen is transported throughout the body only by red blood cells.

With HBOT, oxygen is dissolved into all of the body’s fluids, the plasma, the central nervous system fluids, the lymph, and the bone and can be carried to areas where circulation is diminished or blocked. The increased oxygen greatly enhances the ability of white blood cells to kill bacteria, reduces swelling and allows new blood vessels to grow more rapidly into the affected areas. It is a simple, non-invasive and painless treatment.”

How Does HBOT Work?

The Mayo Clinic explains the HBOT procedure: hyperbaric oxygen therapy typically is performed as an outpatient procedure and doesn’t require hospitalization. If you’re already hospitalized and require hyperbaric oxygen therapy, you’ll remain in the hospital for therapy. Or you’ll be transported to a hyperbaric oxygen facility that’s separate from the hospital.

Depending on the type of medical institution you to do and the reason for treatment, you will receive HBOT in one of two settings:

A unit designed for 1 person. In an individual (monoplace) unit, you lie down on a table that slides into a clear plastic tube.

A room designed to accommodate several people. In a multi-person hyperbaric oxygen room — which usually looks like a large hospital room — you may sit or lie down. You may receive oxygen through a mask over your face or a lightweight, clear hood placed over your head.

What is the VA’s Position on HBOTBased on their own trials, the DoD and the VA insist that there is insufficient evidence to support the use of HBOT in treating Veterans with PTSD. Nevertheless, the VA is currently conducting new HBOT trials at VA facilities in Oklahoma and California.

How Much Does HBOT Cost?

A one-hour “dive” in an HBOT chamber can cost anywhere between $200 and $1,800. While prices tend to be lower at independent clinics, HBOT facilities tied to hospitals can charge more because HBOT treatment may be covered by medical insurance. In the case of PTSD and TBI, an initial series of 40 dives is recommended to occur over a two-month period.

Selected SFTT Posts on HBOT

SFTT is convinced that there is overwhelming scientific evidence to support the use of supervised HBOT to help Veterans with PTSD and TBI. SFTT has written extensively on this issue over the last several years. Please find below suggested posts:

While no one will claim that HBOT or any therapy will work 100% of the time, the application of hyperbaric oxygen in a controlled and carefully monitored environment has produced significant improvements in patient outcomes. More importantly, HBOT is a non-invasive procedure without the often unpredictable effects of addictive prescription drugs.

The Department of Veteran Affairs (the “VA”) struggles to provide effective therapy for Veterans with PTSD and TBI. As such, SFTT has will now focus its attention on providing Veterans and their families cope with information on promising new alternative therapies to help brave warriors cope with brain injury.

The devastating effect of brain injury for hundreds of thousands of Veterans and their families cannot be underestimated. While SFTT will focus primarily on “new” therapy programs, we will occasionally report on the very unsettling problems faced by Veterans and their families as they seek to recover their lives.

Some “alternative” therapies have already proven to be quite successful, but many others are not widely known to Veterans or the medical profession at large. Even if these programs were endorsed or approved by the VA, treatment is often beyond the financial means of most Veterans.

While SFTT will let the “news” speak for itself, the science of treating brain injury is still in its infancy. SFTT attempts to provide balanced reporting of the pros and cons of these emerging therapy programs but strongly encourages the reader to make up their own mind as to their efficacy.

Brain Injuries May Start at a Young Age

While the nature of brain injuries suffered by Veterans leading to PTSD and TBI are far different, the New York Times article suggests that there is still much to be learned in treating concussive events.

SFTT has reported on several occasions that the NFL has been investigating a brain condition called chronic traumatic encephalopathy (“CTE”) which appears to be caused by repeated blows to the head causing a protein called tau to spread and kill brain cells.

For many years the NFL and the VA has tried to hide the effects of debilitating brain injuries from players and Veterans, but the evidence is now overwhelming that concussive events may cause irreparable damage to sensitive brain tissue and cells.

Many parents are already pulling their children from junior football programs and some soccer leagues now prohibit children below the age of 12 from “heading the ball” to avoid brain and neck injuries. Just recently, star performer Justin Timberlake who will perform at halftime at the Superbowl announced that “my son will not play football.”

Shouldn’t this be a warning message to all parents?

Ketamine Could Help Veterans with PTSD

Promising “new” drugs materialize daily that claim to help Veterans cope with the symptoms of PTSD and TBI. Ketamine, approved by the FDA many years ago for sedating people (but not approved for treating traumatic events) has become a popular treatment option for Veterans that have exhausted VA remedies.

The San Antonio Express News, reports that Ketamine “has achieved good results in clinical trials.” It adds that “the military also is interested in its use . . . and that two health facilities will treat active-duty troops and veterans. The research is funded by the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs.”

The San Antonio Express News adds that “clinics use the drug off-label, and protocols, staffing and dosing can differ widely from one clinic to the next. Despite the lack of supporting clinical evidence, many seek ketamine for relief. “Even at low doses it alters the senses. Critics say the effects of longtime use remain unknown and wonder if ketamine clinics put vulnerable patients at risk.”

SFTT Commentary: As in all mind or sensory altering drugs, there are risks that are not fully understood by the medical profession. SFTT continues to support noninvasive therapies, particularly over unregulated and untested drug options.

Army Research Laboratories and Helius Research Neurological Wellness

According to a press release from Aerotech News,

“The U.S. Army Research Laboratory and Helius Medical Technologies, Inc., from Newton, Penn., have partnered to expand on early research that could mean new interventions for improving Soldier readiness and resilience, as well as reducing symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD.

“As part of a cooperative research and development agreement, or CRADA, ARL and Helius are launching a research program to investigate Helius’ Portable Neuromodulation Stimulator for the enhancing cognitive and psychological readiness and response through mindfulness meditation training. Helius is focused on neurological wellness.

“Researchers from both organizations will combine the use of the neuromodulator with mindfulness meditation training and assess participants’ neurocognitive performance and self-reported symptoms before and after training.”

SFTT Commentary: While this joint research program seems promising, the Army Research Laboratory has often placed troop “readiness” ahead of troop safety. SFTT hopes that this study will prove different.

SFTT readers are encouraged to drop us a line if they discover an interesting new therapy to treat PTSD or TBI or would like to share a public interest story. SFTT can be reached at info@sftt.org.

Here at SFTT we’ve been busy wrapping up our 2017 initiatives and planning for an even better 2018 with new programs and partners to help Veterans suffering from Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and Post Traumatic Stress (PTSD).

During the past year, Stand for the Troops, the Little Organization That Could and Has, hit a major milestone — we turned 20! Twenty, old enough to be a combat soldier which, in many ways we are. SFTT is at war helping American Veterans combat invisible war wounds.

In 2017, we fought for — and aided — our Veterans who suffer from TBI and PTSD by:

Securing educational grants 2017 for west coast Veterans wanting to pursue a career in sustainable agriculture and presently, a 2018 grant to continue this program is being reviewed. We’re also working to expand this program to make it available to Veterans on the east coast.

Helping fund Attention-Bias Modification Treatment for PTSD research at Columbia University and the New York State Psychiatric Institute by supporting the Principal Investigator, Dr. Yuval Neria. Dr. Neria’s other related projects establish innovative trauma care for Veterans and their family members, such as Man of War Project & Military Family Wellness Center.

Working in concert with the Knights of Columbus on The Frank Robotti Golf Classic where we raised awareness and funds for service dogs. We’ll be awarding money to a local service dog program soon.

In 2018 we plan to continue this good work while introducing a program that focuses on our co-founder, Col. David “Hack” Hackworth’s commitment to safeguarding frontline soldiers with more than lip service. Our new treatment plan, unveiled in the next few weeks, integrates proven medical and wellness therapies to effectively treat combat-related traumatic brain injury.